Ascent Trip Report

Accommodation: Laban Rata for 1 night during climb; Rock Hostel (basic, part of Park HQ complex) following the climb.

Red tape: permit (fee) and guide are required.

Guide: The trail is pretty obvious so a guide is not needed other than by the authorities. This is arranged at the Park HQ office on arrival.

Water: at Laban Rata hut, together with food and drink.

Difficulties: many high steps make this a challenge for the short-legged! Slabby scrambling above the hut, albeit protected by a fixed rope.

Start: from park HQ, take road up valley then fork L; gate with checkpoint marks start of route (typical package includes transpotr to this point).

Route: obvious trail leads uphill, fairly unrelentingly steeply, past 2 transmitter mast installations. Eventuially the forest thins, crags are visible above, and soon Laban Rata and other huts appear. Beyond the hut, tr5he trail continues through the buildings complex then turns steeply uphill, across slabs then up steps. Another checkpoint is reached, then granite slabs, steep at first protected by fixed rope - which continues to the summit as a navigational aid across the acres of granite slabs.

Summit: compact rocky summit with great views - diversity of the many nearby tops draws the eye, as does the chasm of Lows Gully directly below.

Trig point: 2 different Bolts embedded in summit rocks.

Notes/report: 12 Jun: we arrived early p.m., having flown into Kota Kinabalu from Kuala Lumpur then chartered a vehicle to take us to Kinabalu National park HQ. we were expecting to day-climb the next day, but were informed there was room at Laban Rata hut due to a cancellation. We decided to choose the jet-lagged 2 day option rather than the rested 1-day option. Heavy rain started about the time we got to the hut, where decent food was to be had (all you can eat buffet style).13 Jun: we started a buit before dawn but much later than most, thuis enjoying a climb mostly in daylight. We had the summit to ourselves, and with a hut stop for food we were down mid afternoon, and instaklled in the Rock Hostel for a rainy evening.

Weather: walking was mostly dry: summit cleared just after we got there.